Following one minute speeches, the House is will debate the five remaining amendments to H.R. 5325. No further amendments to the bill may be offered except those included in the unanimous consent agreement.

Complete Consideration of H.R. 5325 - Energy and Water Development and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2013 (Rep. Frelinghuysen – Appropriations) H.R. 5325 appropriates $32.1 billion in FY 2013 for the Energy Department and federal water projects, which is $965 million below the President’s request and $88 million above the enacted level for FY 2012. House Republicans are developing this year's spending bills based on the $1.028 trillion discretionary spending cap included in the Republican (Ryan) Budget Resolution rather than the $1.047 trillion cap agreed upon in last year's Budget Control Act. As a result, this bill leaves even less room for other agencies and programs in appropriations bills to be considered down the road, as Republicans try and ‘frontload’ some of the appropriations bills while still fitting under their cap.

The measure increases funding for the nation's nuclear weapons stockpile, as well as for fossil fuels and alternative energy programs and nuclear energy research and development. Funding would be reduced for a wide range of activities, including Army Corps of Engineers projects, Energy Department science programs, advanced energy research, defense and non-defense environmental cleanup activities, nuclear non-proliferation programs, and most renewable energy programs.

Begin Consideration of H.R. 5855 - Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Act, 2013 (Rep. Aderholt – Appropriations) H.R. 5855 appropriates $39.1 billion in discretionary budget authority in FY 2013 for the Department of Homeland Security. The discretionary budget authority is $484 million below the current FY 2012 level, and $394 million less than the President’s request that is consistent with the Budget Control Act. House Republicans are developing this year's spending bills based on the $1.028 trillion discretionary spending cap included in the Republican (Ryan) Budget Resolution rather than the $1.047 trillion cap agreed upon in last year's Budget Control Act. As a result, this bill leaves even less room for other agencies and programs in appropriations bills to be considered down the road, as Republicans try and ‘frontload’ some of the appropriations bills while still fitting under their cap. The bill also includes $1.4 billion in mandatory spending for Coast Guard retirees, as well as $5.5 billion for emergency disaster relief that is allowed by the Budget Control Act to go beyond the current discretionary cap.

The measure significantly boosts funding for FEMA state and local grants and for Homeland cybersecurity activities, but reduces funding for the Coast Guard, Transportation Security Administration, and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). It provides funds for state and local law enforcement to carry out immigration enforcement activities, and rejects the administration proposal to decrease the number of detention beds the government maintains for preparing individuals to be deported. It also prohibits the use of ICE funding to provide for abortions.

S. 363 – A bill to authorize the Secretary of Commerce to convey property of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to the City of Pascagoula, Mississippi, and for other purposes (Sen. Wicker – Natural Resources)

The Daily Quote

“’It’s a mistake sometimes to draw a line in the sand... instead of just sitting down and talking over a situation,’ [Senator Jim] Inhofe said, explaining that he has sought to impress on the House freshmen that as a conservative, ‘there is a conservative position in this. And that is to have a bill. Because if you don’t have a bill, there’s only one other choice — you have to do extensions.’ And that, Inhofe said, results in ‘throwing away a third of the money that should be spent on highways. And I just can’t let that happen.’”